Is your dog healthy? Because you are the owner, it’s your responsibility to look after him. An unhealthy dog is not just a burden for the owner, but a liability.
Like us humans, dogs’ health also deteriorates during season change, when they eat unhealthy food, come in contact with hazardous substances or live in an unclean environment.
Here are some healthy dog tips to keep your dog healthy.
Keep the home clean
Always keep your home clean. Having a dog means there will be strands of hair everywhere along with footprints and stains of saliva. Not cleaning and vacuuming the house periodically means your dog will have to live in such a mess. And oh, don’t forget dust, pollen and mites. It’s a perfect recipe for ailment.
Have laundry and fabric stain remover, a lint roller, nail clipper handy. It’s an excellent cleaning tool. Pillows and furniture can be cleaned with it. Invest in a cleaner to get rid of foul odor emanating from dog. High-quality doormats are a must. Put it just outside your door so that it catches all the dirt. Don’t forget to dust it off regularly, or else it will be the source of allergens for both you and your dog.
Give him right food
Serve your dog healthy and tasty food. Some owners think dogs cannot taste as they don’t have any taste bud in their tongue. Nothing can be further from the truth. Dogs do have taste buds, only the number of taste buds they have is far less compared to humans, they only have one sixth of the taste buds humans have. Dogs get the taste of salty, bitter and sour food. Smell play a very important role in getting the taste of something.
Dogs like food that are tasty and emit a strong odor. As the owner, you must ensure the food your dog is consuming is of high-quality aside from being tasty. Talk to a vet to know what kind of food are good for dog health. Cheese, carrot, cooked chicken, yogurt, pumpkin, etc are good for dog health. Try cooking your dog’s food at home as foods available in the supermarket may contain preservatives, harmful for your dog in the long run.
Maintain optimal body weight
Your dog shouldn’t be too skinny or too bulky. There should be a perfect balance. Maintaining the optimal body weight requires proper nutrition and sufficient exercise. Healthy dog tips include maintaining nutritious diet (as mentioned in the preceding paragraph) is necessary. But diet alone cannot maintain your dog’s weight. Exercise is necessary as well. Everyday, you need to take your dog out and get him to play, chase frisbee, run, jump and roll. Regular exercise is essential for proper digestion. Experts advise owners to take dogs outside, but in case you cannot go outside let your dog exercise indoor.
The amount of exercise
How much exercise is enough? It’s hard to answer as each dog is unique. Besides, the amount of exercise depends on the dog’s breed, age and body weight. On an average, your dog must spend 30 minutes of time everyday doing exercise outdoor. If it’s indoor, exercise time should increase to one hour. If your dog is a male and young, it needs to exercise more than half an hour.
Older dogs can spend less time exercising as they need more resting time than younger dogs. If your dog is of a hunter breed, it will always be ready for the next big thing and hardly rest. In the absence of a definitive answer to how much exercise is actually required, you can decide on the amount of exercise by checking your dog’s reaction. When it feel tired, it’s time to wrap up the exercise session. A general rule of thumb is allowing the dog to exercise until it feels tired.
Take dog to vet
Once every month, you need to take your dog to a qualified vet. Problems like flea infestation or hair loss can be solved with home remedy, but more serious problems like seizure, chronic pain or fever, parasitic infection must be treated by an experienced veterinary care physician.
The key benefits of taking your dog to a vet include getting a clue of what diet best suits your pet, how likely is your dog to catch seasonal diseases, etc. Also, as a dog ages, it shows signs of illness which its owner neglects considering them normal for an old dog. But a vet is an expert and he won’t ignore glaring signs of diseases.
Summing up
When strictly followed, the five healthy dog tips shared here ensure that your dog remains healthy. A responsible and caring dog owner prioritizes his pet’s health over everything else. For him, it is something he can never compromise on. If you consider yourself a responsible and attentive dog owner, take all the advice stated here seriously.